Friday, September 25, 2015

Mercy for Body and Soul

For the first time in most of our lifetimes, there are more than 50
million refugees worldwide. That’s six times the population of New York
City.

Many flee severe religious persecution. Others exit war-torn
countries where there is little hope of peace or livelihood. We all have
witnessed the gruesome executions of confessing Christians on our TVs
and computer screens. The most recent news headlines report hundreds of
thousands of people, from Africa and the Middle East, streaming into
Europe. Our own country is experiencing a great influx of men, women and
children coming from every corner of the planet, risking all to enter
in hopes of a better life.

In recent weeks, the German government, taxing its infrastructure to
the breaking point, has welcomed hundreds of thousands of these
strangers into that country. The flood of refugees is stressing other
European nations as well.

And there are more to come. Many, many more.

As Germany readies for some 800,000 more refugees, our partner church
there, the Selbständige Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche (SELK), is
preparing to respond to the immediate physical needs — food, clothing,
shelter — of these refugees and, with that, spiritual care centered on
the Gospel.

As they do, the LCMS will be walking alongside them.

And this is just one reason why:

SELK Pastor Gottfried Martens has witnessed the conversion and
baptisms of hundreds of former Muslims who are now active members of his
Berlin congregation.

“Even though the challenges are
enormous, we always experience that these refugees are a great blessing
and encouragement for our faith," said Martens.

“We invite our brothers and sisters from the LCMS to our
services, so that they can see with how much joy these former Muslims
practice their faith and are strengthened by the body and blood of our
Lord again and again,” he continued. “Thus our guests will experience
the truth of the words of our Lord Jesus Christ together with us here: ‘I
was a stranger and you welcomed me … as you did it to one of the least
of these my brothers, you did it to me’ (Matt. 25:35, 40).”

You can deliver this “body and soul” care to these strangers, the
displaced Christians and other refugees, desperately fleeing violence,
persecution and personal hardship.

In response to the ongoing global refugee crisis, we have established
a unique fund that will enable us to provide the Gospel of Christ and
His mercy when and where it is needed most, to whom it can help most: